Wild West coming to Granada Theatre

Set in a Wild West saloon, the troupe’s show is full of athleticism and showmanship.

Staff Report

An acrobatic adventure set to the music of Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline and others will fill the stage when Cirque Éloize brings “Saloon” to the Granada Theatre in Santa Barbara at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 7.

Eleven members of the French-Canadian cirque troupe perform jaw-dropping physical feats, including “a chase worthy of the greatest Western,” while backed by live music.

A driving force in the circus-art reinvention movement, the Montreal-based circus troupe has been creating award-winning cirque shows for nearly 25 years and ranks among the world’s leading contemporary circuses.

“We borrow from the world of the Wild West, which we have so much in common with: a fundamental commitment to moving forward, toughness and the survival instinct, a tendency for irreverence, and a sharing sense of community,” said Jeannot Painchaud, president and artistic director of Cirque Éloize and creative director of “Saloon.”

“Saloon” mixes country music with more festive, folk-inspired compositions. There are four musicians and singers on stage, and all the artists sing or play instruments.